Black Screen in WindowsXP guest after installing VmWareTools

[Andrea Martignano]

Hi all!

I have a problem with my guest Windows Xp SP3, it goes all ok until I install the VmWare tools with the winPreVista.iso (I have Vmware Workstation 17.6.1)

After the first WindowsXp logo, at the time to go to the desktop the screen is totally black, but the "hello" sound of WinXp works without problem.

This is with my Hp Eliteone 800g6. Things return to normal if I disable 3D Acceleration in the settings. But so I don't have 3D acceleration capabilities.

Funny thing is that with the very same setup (same Workstation version, same xp.iso, same procedure) all works perfectly in my very simple Lenovo work pc.

What can be the problem?

Thank you!

Andrea

[Andrea Benetti]

Disable "Accelerate 3D graphics" in Virtual Machine Display setting, solved for me same problem in my fresh WinXP installation.

Ciao

Andrea

[Andrea Martignano]

Yep, it's what I've already done (see opening post), if I disable 3dacceleration it works. Fact is that I want it (if possible), also because the 3dacceleration and same settings work perfectly on another computer. So I'm looking for what can be the problem. But I see many threads about similar situations with no solution, so... 

[Grant Gilson]

Hi Andrea, 

Can you provide a vmware.log file after the tools install?

Thanks,

Grant

[Andrea Martignano]

Hi Grant! Sorry for the late response, here it is, just after the black screen. Apart from the black screen, all the rest in the virtual machine seems working, only.. nothing is to be seen, except for the mouse pointer, which changes with moving as if goes over some window or whatever element.

Attachment(s)

vmware.log   249 KB 1 version

[Grant Gilson]

Hi Andrea,

Can you include the mksSandbox.log as well?

Thanks,

Grant

[Andrea Martignano]

Sure, here it is!

Andrea

Attachment(s)

mksSandbox.log   47 KB 1 version

[Shibdas Bandyopadhyay]

Can you please try out these config option separately and report if any fixes the issue?

1. mks.enableDX12Presentation=FALSE
2. mks.enableVulkanRenderer=FALSE.

Thanks!

[Andrea Martignano]

In which file I have to add these config options?

[Andrea Martignano]

Ok, I found where, in the .vmx file. The 2nd option worked! Despite the simulated 3d acceleration capabilities seems limited (no mipmapping or filtering), but I have to try put more extensively. Thanks in the meanwhile!

[Andrea Martignano]

Ok, it depends on the software. For example, Flight Simulator 98 doesn't permit to enable texture filtering, while FS2002 permits this (and runs and looks good!). So, issue solved. Thank you!!

[Memfis]

I have the same problem with VMWare Workstation 17.6.1 build-24319023. With Version 17.5.2 all was fine.

I use Windows XP to play old games, so I need the 3D acceleration feature. Please fix it.

[Shibdas Bandyopadhyay]

The second option I mentioned won't disable 3D acceleration. Can you give it a try? 

[Shibdas Bandyopadhyay]

Can you please post vmware.log and mksSandbox.log with the second option on? Thanks!

[Memfis]

mks.enableVulkanRenderer=FALSE works, but now I have no Vulkan Rendering. Perhaps I need this for a game. So it would be great, if the function could be restored again.

It also would be great, if Workstation could emulate some other video cards.

Also some games stutters without any reason. (Old games, no problem with perfomance of the host machine) 

(These problems were also in earlier versions that worked without editing the file.)

How can I report this and is there a chance, that this will be fixed or is there no priority to put working hours into it

[Shibdas Bandyopadhyay]

So mks.enableVulkanRenderer=FALSE will make use use DirectX12 for rendering like we were doing in 17.5. DirectX 12 is arguably the better supported graphics API in windows. Depending on the game and driver one can be better than other but as per our testing both the comparable. You will still get the same 3D capabilities with both of these renderers on windows.

For particular games you can start another thread. We might need to capture traces of the game but we can look at that separately.

[Memfis]

OK, thanks. Is it possible to disable Vulkan Renderer automatically if a XP VM was detected or at least give a checkbox in the options to enable / disable it?

[Shibdas Bandyopadhyay]

No, Selecting/disabling renderers is something we don't want customers to fiddle with unless they have a problem like this. 

[Memfis]

Well, everyone with Windows XP and active 3D acceleration have this problem. Check Google, if you dont belive.

And sorry: Its a excuse to say we don't make at least a checkbox, because there are also some other options and this problem is known, so it should have this options to easy disable it.

It's already a bad user experience when a feature stops working and theres no easy way to fix the problem. How should a customer know, that there is a hidden option that can be used with edit the correct file with the correct content?

Hidden options are always a bad idea. At least they should be avaible in an "Expert"Mode".